Violence (Antihero Inferno #3) - Lily White Page 0,149
me for a few seconds longer, Tanner nods his head and steps back.
“Be sure to tell us immediately if anything happens or if William contacts Damon again.”
“I’ll be sure to put it in the newsletter.”
“The what?”
Chuckling at the confusion written across his face, I shake my head.
“Nothing. I’ll see you both later.”
They say nothing as I stalk off and climb on my bike, a sigh pouring over my lips as I pull my helmet on and start the engine.
It’s a short ride from Tanner’s house to mine, the outside lights a bright glow over the driveway as I park next to Damon’s truck.
Guessing he isn’t out with Shane like Jase thought, I hope I’m wrong about Damon putzing around the house and sobbing into his pillow.
He was his usual self when he left Emily’s house a few days ago, but it could have been an act he put on to make her feel better. There’s no telling with him lately.
I’m exhausted as I walk up to the house, my thoughts scattered when I climb the few steps up to the front door, my body stilling in place when I notice the door is partially open, and the concrete in front of it is stained.
Pushing the door open with two fingers, I call out, “Damon?”
He doesn’t answer, the house quiet as a tomb and concern flooding me instantly when I step inside.
My foot slips on the ground, concern exploding into fear to see blood on the stone tiles.
“Damon!”
It’s not a lot of blood, but a path of it drips into the house. Wondering if the asshole got into another fight while out, I step deeper into the house.
“Damon, you better answer me right now!”
I hear noise in the kitchen and head that way, my stride quick and steps pounding the floor.
Turning a corner, I find Damon by the sink, the water stained pink as he washes his hands.
From a distance, I can clearly see blood splashed on his skin and clothes. His hair is a mess around his head, and he refuses to look in my direction.
I close the distance to notice that his knuckles are busted to hell, his jaw set and shoulders tense.
“What happened?”
He shakes his head, his face frantic.
“Grab some bleach and help me clean up the blood throughout the house.”
“What the hell happened?” I roar.
“Just grab the bleach-“
I grab his shoulder instead and turn him to face me.
“I’m not doing anything until you tell me what’s going on? Is all that blood yours?”
Damon’s eyes clench shut, a heavy breath pouring over his lips before he opens them again.
“No.”
A surge of cold rage blossoms through me, every muscle in my body locked. This son of a bitch better start talking.
“Then whose is it?”
He hesitates to answer, his stare locked to mine for several tense seconds.
“William came by the house.”
Oh, fuck...
Instead of exploding, which is what I want to do at this moment, I drag in a steadying breath and calm myself down in an effort to counter the chaos of Damon’s emotions.
He’s fighting to disguise his turmoil, but it’s obvious by the way he can’t stay still, a muscle in his jaw jumping as his teeth grind.
“I need you to tell me what happened from start to finish.”
“Nothing,” he barks in response.
I grab his hand and lift it to his face, his knuckles still seeping blood.
“That doesn’t look like nothing.”
Wrenching out of my hold, Damon steps back to put distance between us, his eyes shifting past me before finally meeting mine again.
“He just showed up. I decided to come home early, and within five minutes of getting here, the doorbell rang. We got into an argument.”
“It looks like it,” I answer, pointing out the obvious. “In fact, it looks like you beat his ass.”
“Because I did,” he shouts, pure anger lining his words. “The fucker limped away when I was done. He’s lucky I didn’t kill him.”
I stab a hand through my hair, my teeth grinding now that I know this.
“Did you answer the phone any of the times he called you?”
“No.”
His voice is way too soft on that, and I stare at him with suspicion dousing my veins.
“Then what the hell was he doing here?”
“I don’t know.”
This isn’t helping.
“What did he say to you?”
Damon rolls his lips together, his eyes angled down to the floor.
“I didn’t give him time to say anything.”
Well, shit.
I can understand that. I wouldn’t have given him time to say anything either.
Tanner and Gabe are going to lose their minds over this.